The interpretation of formation (ii) as 'horse-whale' (zoologically
improbable) appears to be only one of the various popular etymologies that
have influenced the forms of the word. Ultimately a confusion, either within
or outside the Scandinavian languages, has perhaps taken place between ON.
hrosshvalr a kind of whale, and rosmhvalr walrus. The latter is related
obscurely to ON. rosmall, Norw. rosmaal, rosmaar, Da. rosmær, -er, -ar
walrus, whence the scientific specific name rosmarus. See ROSMARINE2. Some
scholars have connected rosm- with ON., Icel. rostungr walrus, and assumed
relationship of both with ON. rau{edh}r RED. (Cf. RORQUAL and OHG. ros(a)mo
redness.) This is zoologically possible, but it seems more likely that rosm-
is a corruption of some non-Teut. word: cf. MORSE.]